Air Force Makes it Official – Minimum of 100 B-21 Raider Bombers Needed

The Air Force recently made sure Congress knows that 100 is the minimum number of B-21 Raider bombers they feel is required. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, General Stephen Wilson presented written testimony to the House Armed Services Committee last week clarifying the number at 100.

Watch the Official Announcement of the ‘Raider’ Name for the B-21

Through a spokesman, the Air Force confirmed the number, saying the change happened “in Spring 2016” at the request of Air Force Global Strike Command. At that time, USAF established 100 “as the floor—not the ceiling” for the B-21 fleet size, he said. AFGSC “requires a minimum of 100 B-21 Raider aircraft, with a mix of legacy bombers, to meet future COCOM [combatant commander] requirements,” the spokesman said.

He noted that AFGSC chief Gen. Robin Rand told AFA’s Mitchell Institute in July last year that 100 aircraft, and “not one single one below that,” was his “best military advice” on the B-21 fleet size. “I can’t imagine how I would deal with the missions I have, with fewer bombers than we have in today’s inventory,” Rand said in his Mitchell remarks. – Air force Magazine

The B-21 is a stealth long range heavy bomber being developed by Northrop Grumman for the US Air Force. In 2010 the estimated cost of each bomber was to be approximately $550 each. The Air Force is planning for the bomber to become operational in 2030. Do you think that will happen?